Jim Lindop of NXP on Wireless Microcontroller

In today's podcast we talk to Jim Lindop, NXP's chief strategist, Low Power RF product line, who tells us about the recent selection of NXP's Low Power RF technology for HyGreen's award-inning hand hygiene systems used in major US hospitals.

Hosted by Janine E. Mooney, No Strings Attached - Your Wireless Broadcast, is Wireless Design and Development's web-based interview show where we talk about the latest wireless technology, components, and design issues for the wireless design engineering community.

HyGreen, Inc selects NXP Low Power RF technology for award-winning hand hygiene systems used in major US hospitals

Hand washing is the single most important procedure for preventing infections, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nevertheless, contaminated healthcare workers' hands continue to play a major role in transmitting infections, contributing to prolonged hospital stays, long-term disability, increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics, high costs for hospitals and patients, and even death. The HyGreen Hand Hygiene and Recording System, designed by HyGreen, Inc., is an innovative solution that actively reminds busy healthcare workers to wash their hands, and records all hand-washing events and patient-staff interactions in the hospital environment. The HyGreen system uses low-power wireless chip technology from NXP Semiconductors N.V. to capture and transmit data on hand washing by healthcare workers, helping to improve hospital hygiene significantly.

HyGreen is using the NXP JN5139 wireless microcontroller and the JenNet wireless network protocol stack optimized for low-power, low-data rate, cost-sensitive applications, and plans to start using the JN5148 microcontroller later this year. Based on the IEEE 802.15.4 specification, JenNet enables a robust, self-healing network that helps HyGreen track all hand-washing events, as well as which patient bed each healthcare worker has visited, allowing hospitals to effectively monitor adherence to hand hygiene protocols.

The HyGreen Hand Hygiene and Recording System is now used in leading US hospitals such as St. Jude's Children's Hospital, University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago, and the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center. After cleaning his or her hands with soap or gel, a healthcare worker places them under a HyGreen sensor which sends a wireless "all clean" message to his or her HyGreen badge, which then blinks green. When the healthcare worker approaches a patient bed, the HyGreen monitor above the bed checks if the badge is transmitting an "all clean" signal. If the badge is not green, the badge vibrates, reminding the healthcare worker to wash. Reports on hand-washing compliance are available to hospital management in real time.

"Leading hospitals are counting on us to deliver a hand hygiene system that improves personnel hygiene and ultimately helps to improve their bottom line by reducing healthcare-associated infections. NXP has helped us design and deliver a highly reliable solution that is cost-effective and very easy for hospitals to maintain," said Ron Youngblood, vice president of operations, HyGreen, Inc. "After months of use, the HyGreen Hand Hygiene and Recording System continues to offer excellent battery life, thanks to the ultra-low power consumption of NXP's wireless module, which uses only one-tenth the power required by WiFi."

In a recent study presented at the Annual Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Conference, Miami Children's Hospital reported that healthcare-associated infections were reduced by 89 percent during a seven-month period when the HyGreen Hand Hygiene Reminder System was used. The study also showed that the HyGreen components and tracking system performed with 100-percent accuracy, providing monitoring at the same intensity for all shifts in a busy pediatric oncology unit. In addition, HyGreen has received numerous accolades including the 2010 Medical Design Excellence Award and Popular Science's "Best of What's New" for 2009. "The HyGreen Hand Hygiene Reminder System is a revolutionary solution that demonstrates how 'smart' wireless technologies can help to tackle a major challenge in the healthcare industry - improving patient care, saving lives and saving costs," said Jim Lindop, chief strategist, Low Power RF product line, NXP Semiconductors. "We look forward to working with HyGreen as the company continues to transform hygiene practices, not only in hospitals and clinics, but also in other environments such as schools and restaurants."